Floriade (Canberra) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Floriade

Floriade in 2013
Genre	Spring flower show and festival
Date(s)	September to October (Spring)
Begins	14 September 2024
Ends	13 October 2024
Frequency	Annual
Location(s)	Commonwealth Park, Canberra, Australia
Inaugurated	1988
Most recent	2023
Attendance	507,550 (2019: Record) 481,854 (2014: Previous record) 427,768 (2022) 433,000 (2023)
Website	https://floriadeaustralia.com/

A glorious and extensive display of tulips is a highlight of Floriade

Floriade is an amazing flower and entertainment festival. It happens every year in Canberra, Australia. You can find it in Commonwealth Park, right by Lake Burley Griffin. The festival shows off huge displays of bright, blooming flowers. You'll also see cool sculptures and other art mixed in with the plants.

The word Floriade comes from Latin. It means "to design with flowers." This festival brings visitors from all over Australia and even other countries. It takes place in spring, usually from mid-September to mid-October. Floriade is known as "Australia's Celebration of Spring." It's a very important event for tourism in the Australian Capital Territory. Good news: it's free to enter!

In 2020, the main event in Commonwealth Park was cancelled. This was because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, the plants were put in over 100 different spots around Canberra. This special event was called Floriade: Reimagined. The same thing happened in 2021 when the festival was cancelled again.

History of Floriade
- How Floriade Started
- Floriade Over the Years
What "Floriade" Means
Art and Fun at Floriade
Floriade Themes Over the Years
Floriade NightFest
Visitors and Impact
See also

History of Floriade

How Floriade Started

Floriade was the idea of Christiaan Slotemaker de Bruine. He was a Landscape Architect for Canberra's government. He started designing the festival in 1986. His idea was based on the famous 'Keukenhof' garden in the Netherlands.

Christiaan worked with Peter Sutton, a horticulturist and manager. Together, they planned and built the first Floriade. They also handled marketing, found sculptures, and arranged live music. They even helped buy the flower bulbs.

The first Floriade celebrated "multiculturalism of the Nation." It included flower designs inspired by Dutch and Aboriginal cultures. The Embassy of the Netherlands and the Bicentennial Authority helped fund it. Christiaan and Peter continued their successful work for the next two years.

Floriade Over the Years

Floriade first happened in 1988. It was a special event to celebrate Canberra's 75th birthday. It also marked Australia's Bicentenary, which was 200 years since European settlement. The festival was so popular that it became an annual event. Each year, it has a new and exciting theme.

In 2020, the main Floriade event in Commonwealth Park was cancelled. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, about one million flower bulbs and annual plants were used differently. They were spread across 130 different locations. This created a "Tulip Trail" through Canberra's suburbs. This special version was called Floriade: Reimagined. Around 300,000 plants were given to community groups. These included schools, sports clubs, and local residents.

In 2021, Floriade was cancelled again because of COVID-19 rules. Just like in 2020, the flowers meant for Commonwealth Park were given out around Canberra.

What "Floriade" Means

When the festival was first announced in 1987, "floriade" was said to mean "to decorate with floral designs." Later, people said it came from a Latin word, "floreat." This word is from "floreo," which means "to be covered with flowers." So, "Floriade" can also mean "let it bloom."

Floriade in 2005

In 2005, there was a small issue about the name. Another garden in New South Wales, called Hunter Valley Gardens, started using "Floriade." Canberra's tourism authorities thought about taking legal action. In 2006, Hunter Valley Gardens changed their festival name to Festival of Flowers.

Art and Fun at Floriade

Floriade is a great place to see public art. Each year, new artworks are created for the gardens. Some of these art pieces even stay after the festival ends. Floriade also has lots of live music performances. You can enjoy cultural celebrations, artistic displays, and fun activities.

For several years, Floriade has also hosted a gnome decorating competition. Many schools, aged care homes, and businesses join in the fun.

The first gnome competition was in 2000. About 5,000 gnomes were made and sold to raise money for charity. The winning gnome, named Stanley Patches, is now kept at the Canberra Museum and Gallery.

Since 2005, the Floriade Gnome Gnoll event has been run by the Rotary Club of Canberra East. The money raised goes to help local and international projects. In 2005, the theme was Rock 'n Roll. This led to gnomes being dressed up as band members. For example, there were gnomes dressed as the Australian children's group, The Wiggles, called "The Gniggles." Another popular one was gnomes dressed as the band KISS. These were made by Weetangera Primary School.

The Gniggles
KISS
Camouflaged Gnomes painted by children from the Preschool at the Royal Military College, Duntroon, 2013
Dragon boat gnomes
Canberra's 100th Anniversary symbol, 2013
A sand sculpture of the Australian War Memorial at Floriade 2007
Zebras (2010): Stopper, Reviver, Survivor, Dasher, and baby George
Massed tulips at Floriade at night
A Citroën 2CV utility truck used as a garden, 2014

Floriade Themes Over the Years

1988 Floriade (multiculturalism)
1989 Floriade (insects)
1990 Floral garlands, champagne bubbles and floral river
1991 Music
1992 The art of horticulture
1993 Kites, colour and movement
1994 Reflections
1995 Carnival of cultures
1996 Floriade celebrates the arts
1997 Colour by day and night
1998 Gardens and gourmets
1999 Magic of the gardens
2000 Games in the garden
2001 The Century in bloom (Celebrating Centenary of Federation)
2002 Poetry in flowers
2003 The heavens in bloom
2004 The wonder of water
2005 Rock 'n' roll in bloom
2006 Carnivale – The World on Show
2007 Aussie icons, myths and legends
2008 Films that shaped the nation
2009 Mind, Body and Soul
2010 Imagination
2011 A feast for the senses
2012 Style & Design
2013 Canberra Centenary
2014 Embrace Passion
2015 World War I remembrance
2016 Life in Bloom
2017 Carnival of Cultures
2018 Pop Culture
2019 World in Bloom
2020 Floriade Reimagined (Event not held in Commonwealth Park)
2021 Future of Flowers (Event not held in Commonwealth Park)
2022 The Sounds of Spring
2023 Floral Wonderland

Floriade NightFest

From 1989 to the late 1990s, there was an event called "Floriade by Night." It had food, cool lighting displays, stalls, and entertainment in the evenings. It ran for several nights and was free.

Night openings returned in 2008, now called NightFest. This event requires a ticket to enter. NightFest includes live music, comedy shows, acrobatics, shopping, and even movies.

Visitors and Impact

Floriade is the biggest flower festival in the Southern Hemisphere. Over 300,000 people visit it every year. In 2019, a record 507,000 people attended!

There is no entry fee to the festival. Plans to charge an entry fee in 1998 caused a lot of upset, so it remained free.

Floriade also helps the local economy. In 2019, the festival brought over $44 million to the ACT economy.